Simply put, I am building a new layout with Gargraves track (coming from FasTrack). I have a basic loop assembled on my table and soldered wires to the rails and a jumper for the 2 outer rails. Most of my engines run just fine, but one particular engine, an MTH Premier FT A-B-A set (early 5 volt PS2 from 2003, don’t have product number on hand) is sparking and audibly making a crackling sound whenever it moves, but only when the smoke is on. With the smoke turned off, it doesn’t spark. I am currently running in conventional mode with an MTH Z-4000. I have not tried with DCS yet. I retested the engine on my old FasTrack with the Z-4000 with the smoke both on and off and it didn’t spark at all. I have cleaned the Gargraves track with 91% alcohol and cleaned the wheels on contacts on the lead A unit with alcohol as well (I’m not testing with the B or other A units). Other engines, MTH and otherwise don’t spark at all, smoke or no smoke. What could be causing this and why is is so specific? Only the Gargraves track combined with having the smoke turned on causes the sparking.
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